Levels of Description in DACS

Levels of Description in DACS

Original Lecture Video

Levels of Description – when we are creating records (colleciton lelve records, finding aids, etc) we may find that we don't nee dot include EVERY DACS element; want to mathc diffferent levels of description to what our product will be

There are 25 elements in DACS and not every element is required (This is chapter 1 in DACS book)

Single-level description

• (can be used at ANY level, but can only describe ONE level)
• Maybe want to create a record for an individual item, contribute to a union catalog, etc
• Have minimum, optimum and added value approach
• Examples: accession record, MARC21 record (not linked to other records)

Multilevel descriptions

• Can be used at ANY level but MUST include at least one sublevel
• corresponds with a finding aid (start at collection level, describe series, files in the series, subseries, item level)
• Example: inventory/registry/finding aid, multiple linked MARC21 records (such as series records linked to one another)
• Have minimum, optimum and added value detail

Single-level: Minimum (SLM)

• Reference core – collection number
• Name and location of repository
• title
• Date or date span of collection
• Extent
• Name of creator(s)
• Scope and content
• Conditions governing access
• Languages and scripts of the materials

Most closely corresponds of an accession record; brief record with minimum level of documentation, usually made before collection is processed

Single-Level: Optimum (SLO)

• All elements in SLM
• Administrative/biographical history
• Scope and content (full)
• Access points

Created after a collection has been fully processed; after finding aid or MARC record is created

Single-Level: Added Value

• All elements in SLO
• Any relevant elements the repository would like to add

Multilevel: Minimum (MLM)

• All in SLO
• Identification of the whole-part relationship of the top level to the next subsequent level
• each subsequent level should include all the above elements unless the information is the same as that of a higher level
• could be a preliminary collection inventory, before processing

Multilevel: Optimum (MLO)

• All elements in MLM
• Administrative/biographical history
• full scope and content note
• Access points
• Each subsequent level should include all elements at higher levels and identification of the whole-part relationship to the next level

Multilevel: Added Value

• All elements in MLO
• Icing on the cake